Last year, as part of its Hidden Classics series, San Francisco's Cutting Ball Theater offered a reading of Miles Gloriosus (which, along with Pseudolus and Mostellaria, provided the inspiration for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum). Though the play's set-ups and jokes may be more than 2,000 years old, they remain remarkably resilient to the passage of time.

Woodminster Summer Musicals recently revived A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum as part of its 2012 season with a cast headed by Trente Morant as Pseudolus. The opening night performance hit a few bumps as lead actors went up on their lines. I was surprised to notice a key passage of the overture missing (as well as "Pretty Little Picture," which is rarely performed).

Directed by Joel Schlader, the performance was quite enjoyable (this show is so brilliantly constructed that it is almost foolproof). Megan Gallup and Tyler Costin were most appealing as the young (virginal) lovers. While Calvin Smith (Miles Gloriosus), Stu Klitsner (Erronius), Kelly Houston (Marcus Lycus), and Jesse Caldwell (Senex) were obviously enjoying themselves, it soon became obvious that only two of the actors onstage really understood the style required for this show.

John Tichenor's Hysterium and Rebecca Faiola's Domina offered hilarious renderings of classic comic characters. Much to my surprise, Trente Morant's Pseudolus seemed more intent on acting like an adorable puppy rather than an aggressive slave who will go to any lengths to secure his freedom.

The oddest thing was the feeling that, because Woodminster is essentially a "family friendly" production company, Schlader's staging was aimed to please an audience used to television sit-coms rather than old-fashioned bawdiness. A Forum whose Pseudolus doesn't command his audience's attention (and who misses some great comedic opportunities) is a weak leader for what should be a brutally funny farce.

In recent years I've grown increasingly curious about how a traditional circus like Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey has embraced new stage technologies. A chance to attend a recent performance of its Dragons show at Oakland's Oracle Arena proved to be fascinating. A series of LED-based digital display boards are lowered at frequent intervals to block the audience's view and distract people as stagehands arrange the floor for upcoming acts (such as live animals).

First, let me say that the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus still lives up to its reputation as "The Greatest Show On Earth." As you can see in the following rehearsal footage, many of the smaller dragons and floats are actually built around what looks like a Segway PT that has been tricked out for circus routines. In the following video clip, director/choreographer Shanda Sawyer discusses some of the challenges she faced in building a show around the theme of "Dragons."

By the time the 90-minute-long first act reached its conclusion, I found myself wondering if there was anything left for Ringling Brothers to trot out onto the arena floor. After all, how do you top an Asian elephant leaning back on a large stool and merrily flashing her mammoth mammaries at you?

I had never thought of the circus as a show destined to delight rice queens. But Dragons has plenty of Asian beefcake on display, led by the show's Kung Fu Kings, Junjie Sun and Guojing Qin.

Overall impressions? Cirque du Soleil's shows are built upon a foundation of better music and greater artistry. Some of the Cirque shows are also starting to experiment with new ways to incorporate film into the basic set design.

However, Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus has a raw vitality which derives from its motorcycle acts, the sheer size of its playing field, the natural appeal of its animal acts, and the Ringmaster's constant attempts to draw the audience into the performance.

Perhaps the strangest moment for me came while listening to the Ringmaster challenge his audience (children of all ages) to SCREAM their heads off. It made me realize that, back when I was a kid, we were never encouraged to scream. Here's the trailer: